Chef Marcel makes Toledo hungry for more

Marcel Hesseling is one busy guy — juggling a family life, his day job as a chef with Promedica, and a busy catering business. It’s a long way from the Netherlands, where he was born, but not such a stretch from his beginnings as a chef.
He got his start as a chef with the Royal Dutch Navy, following his culinary education. After his eight years in the Navy, Chef Marcel picked up additional training as a dietitian and worked for several years as a freelance chef at hotels, fine dining restaurants, and hospitals. When he moved to Toledo with his wife, Lorraine, he quickly got acclimated to the culinary scene.
One of his first jobs in Toledo was as the opening sous chef at the legendary, now-shuttered Diva Restaurant. Following that, he ran the kitchen at the Toledo Zoo for seven years. While there, he started giving back to the community by donating his talents to area fundraisers, which he continues to this day, including the Zoo To Do, Red Cross’ Oscar Night, and the Chili Cook-off for Mobile Meals.
He started his catering business, Chef Marcel Fine Catering, last summer, working on in-house parties, weddings, and fundraising events. “The people who work with me have worked with me for a long time. We make sure all the details of the event are right, from A to Z, from flowers to cake delivery.”
Chef Marcel also picked up a contract running the restaurant and handling catering for the Toledo Yacht Club. When it comes to a culinary philosophy, Marcel keeps it simple, on land as at sea: “All I need are the freshest ingredients I can get my hands on, so I can have the best end product.”

For more information about Chef Marcel and his catering business, including mouthwatering photos of dishes like panko encrusted salmon and oven roasted chicken, visit www.chefmarcel.com.